Fin pipe construction



M y 1955 J. J. GANNQN FIN PIPE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 8, 1954 INVENTOR 4727210 2 United States Patent FIN PIPE CONSTRUCTION John I. Gannon, Clinton, Mass assignor to Lancaster Engineering Company, Lancaster, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 8, 1954, Serial No. 435,133

8 Claims. (Cl. 257-263) The present invention relates to a heat transfer fin construction of the character employed on piping.

The terms piping and pipes are used herein in a general sense to refer to what are normally called pipes, tubes, and walls of fittings, vessels and the like.

A purpose of the invention is to provide a heat transfer fin construction which can be conveniently assembled on existing or new piping, and which will be easy to apply and easy to remove.

A further purpose is to mount the fin elements on a pipe in a manner which will obtain intimate heat transfer contact between the fin elements and the pipe and among the fin elements themselves.

A further purpose is to secure effective air circulation among the fin elements which are applied externally to a pipe.

A further purpose is to mount fin elements on a pipe so that they are adjustable in length to suit the available space of the pipe after the pipe has been connected to the piping system.

A further purpose is to employ a basic fin element of U cross section having variably spaced base portions of the LJ, there being a circular or other suitably shaped cutout for the pipe between the spaced base portions, and having fins comprising the arm portions of the U extending in spaced parallel relation out from the base portions, and to unite two of the fin elements back to back at the base portions, desirably by tongue and slot engagement, or suitably by sheet metal screws, spring clips, rivets or spot-welds.

A further purpose is to secure spacer prongs on the fins to accomplish heat transfer longitudinally and also to provide accurate spacing between the fins.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate only one of the numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the form shown from the standpoints of satisfactory illustration, proper operation and service, and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of a pipe and fin assembly in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective of two cooperating fin elements.

It is desirable in heating, refrigerating and air conditioning systems to obtain increased heat transfer area by securing fins on pipes. Many constructions of fin pipe have been produced which are intended to be manufactured with the fins applied and installed with the fins already on the pipe.

The use of fin piping of this character is however subject to the limitation that the presence of the fins interferes with the installation of the piping, and often requires the presence of fins at points where they cannot be advantageously used. The present invention makes it possible to afiix fins to any desired portion of a heat transfer pipe in a heating or cooling system, so that fins will be located fins together.

Patented May 24, 1955 ice most advantageously and will not be placed at points where they cannot be used to advantage. The invention is applicable to existing piping and new piping. Also the installation of the piping can be accomplished without the need to have the fins present, and then fins can be put on at any convenient later date and extended as far as necessary.

The construction of the present invention is advantageous as it permits individual fin units to be applied, thus allowing the installer to determine the extent to which the fins will be used, and the exact location at which the fins will be placed.

In accordance with the invention, the fins are formed from a pair of cooperating fin units, each of which is essentially U-shaped in cross section, formed of sheet aluminurn, copper, brass, steel or the like. Each fin unit consists of a pair of spaced base portions of the U, with a semicircular cutout for the pipe between the spaced base portions, and a pair of fins comprising the arm portions of the U extending in spaced parallel relation out from the base portions in the same direction. The base portions of a fin element are connected together, suitably by a tongue and slot arrangement, although permissibly by any other desired fastening. The fins are desirably spaced from one another and maintained in longitudinal heat transfer contact by prongs from one fin of each fin element.

Considering now the drawings, a heat transfer pipe carrying for example a heating medium such as steam, hot water, Dowtherm, oil, or the like, or containing a refrigerating medium such as brine, ammonia, Freon, or the like, is surrounded by fin units 21 which are positioned to the pipe in pairs. Each of the fin units: is essentially U- shaped in cross section, comprising spaced base portions 22 and 23 and fin portions 24 and 25 which are desirably parallel and extend in the same direction from the base portions. The base portions as shown are desirably substantially perpendicular to the fin portions. The fin portions may be suitably shaped rectangularly or circularly as desired, the preferred form being rectangular with rounded corners 26.

Between the base portions or fin portions are aligned recesses at 27 desirably semicircular so that the edges 28 of the recesses will rather closely engage the pipe to maintain good heat transfer relationship.

Provision is made to place a pair of cooperating fin elements around the pipe back to back, and cross connecting the case portions 22 and 23. The preferred manner of cross connection is to lance out a tongue 30 from the base portion 22, which cooperates with a slot 31 in the base portion 23, and permits joining by tongue and slot engagement, extending the tongue 30 through the slots 31 and bending over at 32 as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It is desirable to avoid the possibility of crushing the For this purpose prong 33 is lanced out from one fin preferably near the outer end and extends across in spacing relationship to engage the other fin at the opposite side of the U. In addition spacer prongs 34 are lanced from one side of each fin element and extend out to engage the next pair of fin elements preferably near the outer edge and prevent the fin elements from being placed too close together for good air circulation or from sliding or vibrating into a position of too close spacing. The prongs 34 also serve to convey heat longitudinally from one set of fin elements to the next. The openings from which the prongs 33 and 34 are .anced out aid in air circulation longitudinally.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that the new shaped elements are prevented from pulling to one side or rocking with respect to the axis of the pipe by the widely spaced engagement along the edges 24,

thus avoiding dipping of the fins toward one side or the other. 1

It will be evident that the fin elements can be located in pairs as frequently as desired, or in groups or sets, although it will be preferred to use them in a continuous succession as shown in Figure 1.

Of course it will be evident that where desired the 360 circumference around the pipe may be covered by three or more fin elements rather than two.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

In view of my invention and disclosure, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fin construction for pipes comprising a double fin element of U cross section having spaced base portions of the U, there being a semicircular cutout for the pipe between the spaced base portions, and having fins comprising the arm portions of the U extending in spaced parallel relation out from the base portions.

2. A fin construction according to claim 1, in combination with attachment means on the base portions to connect together two fin constructions around a pipe.

3. A fin construction according to claim 1, in combination with a spacer prong extending laterally from one fin 4 away from the other fin to space one fin construction from the next. 7

4. A fin construction according to claim 1, in combination with a spacer prong extending laterally from one fin to the other at a point adjacent the outer edge of the fins.

5. A fin construction according to claim 4, in combination with a spacer prong on each fin element extending laterally and adapted to space one pair of fin elements from the next.

6. A fin construction according to claim 1, in combination with attachment means on the base portions to connect together two fin constructions around the pipe, the attachment means comprising tongue and slot connections extending between the respective base portions.

7. A fin construction according to claim 6, in combination with a spacer prong on each fin element extending laterally away from the fin element and adapted to space one pair of fin elements from the next.

8. A fin construction according to claim 6, in combination with a spacer prong on each fin element extending from one fin to the next in each particular fin element.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,382,220 Murray June 21, 1921 1,873,052 Seward Aug. 23, 1932 1,920,779 Bennett et a1. Aug. 1, 1933 2,354,131 Larkin July 18, 1944 2,371,144 Bronander Mar. 13, 1945 

